About Us
A midwife-owned practice in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Chosen Vessels provides lactation support and wellness services for women. Our goal is to use the midwife model of care to promote wellness for women by providing health services to address their unique concerns in a female-centered and culturally relevant way. When women are healthier, we all are healthier.
Chosen Vessels Midwifery Services is a division of Kemet Circle, LLC.
Her Story
Dr. LaVonne Moore, DNP, RN, CNM, CNP, IBCLC, ICCE is founder and CEO of Chosen Vessels Midwifery Services a subsidiary of Kemet Circle, LLC. Kemet Circle was born in 1998 out of a desire to address health disparities for women of color by providing training and curriculum development. But since its conception, it has expanded to offer more intimate services such as health counseling and lactation and birth support for all women.
Dr. Moore has a Doctor of Nursing Practice from St. Catherine University, a Master of Science in Nurse Midwifery from the University of Minnesota, and a Master of Arts in Health & Human Services Administration from St. Mary’s University. She is a Certified Nurse Midwife, Certified Women’s Healthcare Nurse Practitioner, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and Certified Childbirth Educator. She is adjunct faculty at St. Catherine’s University and Thomas Edison College, teaching graduate nursing and women’s health courses.
She has been a health provider, educator, and activist in her community for decades, desiring that all women would prosper and be in good health. Her goal is to inspire women to use midwives for care throughout their lifespan and to recognize the importance of breastfeeding because she believes that good health begins with breastfeeding!
Philosophy
In the African tradition, childbirth is considered a natural event, viewed within a holistic context, and is seen as having social, spiritual, and moral significance. Pregnancies are likened to women carrying pots (gourds) on their heads containing water, and described as women who carry their earthen pots and walk to a local brook to fetch water. The pathway from the brook is considered narrow and the terrain difficult, a few fall and break their pots; some stagger but manage to keep their pots even though some water spills, and the majority of the women return home successfully with their pots and water. This metaphor of pot (gourd) is one of the ways of thinking of the womb or pregnancy. The first category represents women who experience infant loss because of miscarriages, stillbirths, or, unfortunately, death in the course of pregnancy or in the process of childbirth. The second group represents women who have low birthweight infants or premature births. The third group represents women who have healthy births. Because the risk for breaking the pot or spilling the water is high, the traditional practice of Ideyun (pregnancy care) is used to eliminate the risks.
Chosen Vessels uses this philosophy to reclaim this traditional practice of providing care for women throughout their lifespan from pregnancy to menopause. We support the body’s natural rhythms and encourage women to trust their bodies and themselves.
Meet Your Care Team
Compassionate professionals dedicated to supporting your journey every step of the way.
